Ninyou no Iwaku
by Yukiume
Summary: A Mermaid's Tale: Sakura, youngest of the three mermaid princesses of the Elysian Sea will have her life turned a complete three-sixty when fate takes her on the journey she never expected herself to embark on. SASUSAKU. !ON HIATUS!
1. In Waters Deep

Hiya all! I am a serious mermaid fan! Whee… *splashes puddle*

This _will not_ be a rip off of Disney's The Little Mermaid and _neither_ will it be Hans Christian Anderson's Little Mermaid ('cause that one is too depressing *cries* D: ).

This will be my own story of our beloved Sakura as princess of the sea and how she will fight for the one she loves. I don't know where I'd take this story to, because the plot is still brewing at the back of my brain. Ideas are welcomed.

There _will_ be lemon, because we all – or my followers – know, I cannot do without the sour fruit. So ya, the shoot of the lemon tree is sprouting from the top of my head.

This story is dedicated to the tsunami, earthquake and nuclear victims in Japan. My heart goes out to you all.

**Naruto-verse is by Kishimoto Masashi.  
>Mature<strong> for intended **lemon **(no, not mermaid sex… a_a") in later chapters and **language**.

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><p><strong>A Mermaid's Tale - Ninyou no Iwaku<strong>

Chapter 1: In Waters Deep

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><p>The ocean was a ubiquitous display of colours, like silken layers of the rainbow spreading over the vast under seascape, magnificent and breathtaking. The visible spectrum of corals, sea rocks, sponges, anemones in its entire multi-faceted architecture decorated the seafloor far and wide. Deep waters of the Elysian Sea were crystal clear with a tint of blue, much alike the sky, where instead of winged birds, there lived a thriving array of sea creatures and the most spectacular of all life forms,<em> Mer-people<em>.

A peal of feminine laughter split through the quiet waters, sending a large school of yellow tangs scurrying for cover among the abundant porous boulders. She swam as fast as her fin could propel her through the liquid to escape her pursuer, leaving a trail of frantically rising bubbles in her wake.

Sakura dodged behind a rock and suppressed a mirthful giggle as a blur of bright orange sped past her hiding place. Long rosette locks that reached the end of her lower back, swayed gracefully with way of the ocean's current and her tail, green, like the cluster of brilliant emeralds sparkling under the spotlight with scales that reflected an iridescent glow atop of their primary colour. The pearls that adorned the edges of her silver clamshell bra threaded around her back, holding it in place.

Peeking out gingerly to reveal her pair of jade eyes in matching hue as her tail, she spotted the clueless hunter pacing from left to right, scanning the area in search for his target. She suppressed another giggle and dived a little lower to grab a stone from the ground. With a swift motion, she catapulted said stone at the merman, hitting him square in the back of his blonde head. He screamed a pitch that could rival hers and sunk to the seabed like an anchor.

She doubled over, clutching her belly in a fit of laughter. He was always so funny… funny and amusing at the same time. How long she spent laughing was beyond her, but when it was long enough, she noticed that her best friend remained motionless on the sand. She panicked and rushed to his side.

"Naruto?" Her fingers hovered over his sprawled form, at a loss at what to do. She shook him by the shoulders, that didn't work. She pounded her fists on his abdomen, above his tattoo, that too didn't work. Then remembering what their self-defence master, Kakashi, taught them, she smiled, snapping her thumb and middle fingers in revelation. Swimming upwards to gain momentum, she positioned herself and with a strong flap of her fin, she raced towards the unconscious merman, shouting, "Shannaro!" Somersaulting when she was within range, she slammed her tail directly onto his face.

The slap was hard enough for its sound to reverberate menacingly around them, completely annulling his outburst of pain and caused all the anemones and tube worms to retract into themselves.

He buried his inflamed face in his palms and rolled in a disorderly fashion on the ocean floor, stirring up clouds of sediment in the process. When he finally stopped, he whined with invisible tears pooling at the side of his aquamarine eyes. "Ne, Sakura-chan... Why you gotta be so mean, dattebayo?"

Not bothering to reply or hide the wide grin on her lips, she reached a hand out to assist him up and hovered back a few strides to grant him space. His taut muscles shifted beneath his skin as he dusted the tiny particles off his apricot coloured tail, then as if he was some sort of dogfish, he shook his head wildly to loosen the residual specks from his blonde hair.

She squealed ducking as a splat of sand flew in her direction. "Naaa-ruuu-tooo!"

The merman blanched when she cracked her knuckles. "Sa-Sa-Sakura-channn… Don't be hasty now..."

She was always the better one in defence class, that's what they called it. However, in her case, they should have renamed it to 'offence class' or 'beat-your-sparring-partner-to-pulp class' or something along that line and no matter how hard he avoided it, Kakashi, that sadistic bastard of a sensei, would deliberately pair them up. Well, besides the fact that they were the only students the sliver haired merman had.

He quivered, raising his hands forward to shield himself before fleeing, shrieking like a little mergirl. She chuckled and gave chase.

Yes, they are close. Call it 'best of friends' if you might, but it was more than that. She was like a younger sister to him and he was the protective older brother, despite them being of the same age. Though, at times, it really seemed like the direct opposite. Naruto had been her playmate since ever her memory allowed; they grew up together, hung-out together, had their meals together and hell, even puked together.

He had lost his parents during the human war that ensued whilst they both were infants. It was unfortunate that a stray atomic bomb, deployed by the troops above waters, found its way into the oceans and detonated, annihilating the flourishing ocean and restructuring it into a barren undersea land of nothingness. It took at least five years for the Elysian seafloor to regain its former glory and the mer-people were not left unscarred as well.

The legendary mer-knight, Namikaze Minato, Naruto's father, sacrificed himself to save the queen, Sakura's mother on that fateful day in history. As an act of indebtedness and obligation, the queen took Naruto in as her own, granting him refuge in the confines of the palace. He and many others developed a seething hatred for all things human. No one could blame them.

Thus, due to the events that occurred, a decree was issued by the great and reputable matriarch of the sea-kingdom of Elysium - Queen Tsunade - that no merman or mermaid were to go beyond a hundred feet to the surface and whatever remnants of human debris discovered in the ocean realm were to be declared forthwith.

As the years went by, Naruto and Sakura grew fond of each other and a special bond of familiarity developed between the two. He personally looked to the queen, three years ago, on his fifteenth birthday to have the responsibility of 'Royal Guard' be bestowed upon himself for the reason that he may keep a watchful eye on his most valued friend, knowing that the youngest of the three princesses tends to be too curious for her own good.

Sakura kicked her fin a hard one and launched forward, reaching a hand out to grab the orange tail before her, succeeding with only a brush on the tip of his fin. The blonde eyed over his shoulder, chuckling at her failed attempt as he gained speed. She grinned, enjoying their little game of catfish and anchovies (cat and mouse). They unmindfully whizzed past recognizable structures of their surroundings, without concerning themselves of where they were heading.

Naruto back-flipped to face her while swimming and stuck his tongue out, tauntingly. Then making a sudden swerve to the left, he accidently crashed into a pile of hollow rocks and all he saw was black. It happened so quick, Sakura gasped in shock when he disappeared entirely from sight.

Following the echo of his fading shriek, she found herself at the entrance, or what has now become an entrance, of a cave made out of rubble. She peered into the darkness from the outside and called out to her friend. Receiving no response, she cautiously squeezed her way through the opening, allowing the encompassing shadows to paint over her milky skin inch by inch. With one of her senses impaired, she instinctively stretched her hands out in front of her body to navigate in the darkness and prevent any chance of colliding into possible obstacles.

She inwardly cursed her absentmindedness for bringing her emergency glow-scallop (torchlight) on all days but today. Her right palm came into contact with a cold surface and she groped it to ascertain her bearings. As she moved along the walls, the stone underneath her hand emanated a mysterious yet magnificent blue light that began rippling out, illuminating the whole cave and restoring her sight.

She gaped in awe as her head rotated from the left to the right, surveying the enclosure. The area was large enough to hold ten merpeople. Her eyes soon affixed themselves on the figure lying on the cave-floor.

"Naruto!" She knelt and shook the unconscious merman till he stirred.

He brought a hand to his forehead and groaned. "Sakura-chan... What happened? Where are we?"

"For a mer-guard you black-out a little too often, don't you think?" She teased. "Anyway, I'm not sure either." Her attention averted to the faint activity developing above her head and she raised her finger, pointing to the lucid inscriptions materializing on the ceiling. "Look..."

"What _is _that?" His voice was dressed with a queer enchanted lilt.

She shrugged. Moving up closer, she traced her fingertips over the engravings, intuitively reading aloud the glowing words.

"_Hark ye, thou of waters deep, listen to age olds' decree.  
>Sacrifice thine internal light, for the soul a kiss unites.<br>On blissful dreams thou depart. Ne'er forget thy home, thy heart."_

With shoulders slumping in confusion, he drawled. "What in the dark sea-abyss (hell) does tha…" He trailed off when the wall in front of them lighted up as well, but this time, instead of words, they were graphics.

They both approached quickly, pupils narrowing to make out the images of creatures much alike themselves, only with hideous tails that split down the middle into separate appendages. The blonde drifted back and hissed in repulse, "Humans!"

_Humans…_ She, once again, touched the surface of the stone, feeling the uneven texture of the impressions on her skin. "Is this how they look like?"

She had never seen a human in all her life and neither has Naruto for that matter, but they have heard many stories of life above the ocean from the older generation of merfolks. Some, especially the merwomen, would tell of wonderful and romantic encounters with those beings; others would recount of how these creatures were power-hungry and destructive by nature. Sakura never really cared about the subject on a whole, but now, having seen the illustrations of these intriguing creatures sparked a newfound interest within her.

"They're _freaks_ if you asked me!" Naruto snapped.

"I... I think they're beautiful…" She spoke in a trance. Her eyes lingered on the two figures - assuming one to be male and the other, female, from the anatomy of their upper bodies - that depicted blithe in every manner possible as the female followed after the male, their hands stretched to connect with each other while they frolicked in their own world, careless of troubles and worries.

Memorizing the way they ran, the curve of their hips and the slenderness yet sturdiness of their limbs, she began to wonder what it would actually be like to meet a real human. Would they be the hopeless romantic or the destructive warrior? Whatever the answer was she would probably never know. Her mother or the council would never approve of her, a princess, defying the Queen's dictum. Releasing an audible sigh, she pried her palm and eyes away from the stone.

The merman beside her was grumbling under his breath about his bad luck that he stumbled into his mess and that he was even more jinxed that this place were remnants of human-scum memories. She chuckled at his amusing babbles, breaking him out from his reverie. "What so funny-dattebayo?"

She could not hold back a snort no matter how hard she tried and folded her arms to her stomach. "Nothing. Nothing's funny, Naruto. Come on, we should leave before the sea gets dark."

The blonde nodded in affirmation and gripped onto her hand, leading the way out of the cavern. As he dragged her away from the opening, she glanced back, once, over her shoulder to take a last scrutinizing look, hoping that her memory would register its location, in the event that she intended to return. Though the reason why she would want to return eluded her - maybe it was because humans intrigued her or maybe, she wanted to know more about their race. _Damn curiousity!  
><em>

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><p>As the sun set and the moon rose to take its rightful place in the night sky above the glossy waters, the depths of the ocean, too, fell into darkness. However, unlike the land, the sea had its own natural sources of light, be it the light emitting fishes, anemones, corals or sponges, it served its purpose and provided the ocean with a magical and mystical aura.<p>

Gliding smoothly past a school of glowing jellyfishes, the clamourous blonde was screaming his head off, declaring that the Queen's chief-counsel will have his head for not ensuring the princess return before curfew. Yes, she had a curfew. All the princesses had. But it wasn't like she actually abided by it, like some obedient, trained dogfish. She always exceeded pass it and felt pretty smug about the issue. Anyway, what could the counsels do? She _was_ princess of Elysium whether they liked it or not. She smirked to herself at the thought; said smugness crawled its way onto her features.

Deciding to ruffle the merman's _scales_ further, she stopped paddling and allowed him to haul her complete deadweight through the waters on his own, and that meant that they would require a longer duration to arrive at the castle. Twin aqua orbs flashed a warning to jades, only amplifying her boldness. She sniggered into her free palm and continued with her caper.

It was roughly fifteen human minutes later that they were able to behold the scattered lights radiating from the humble abodes in the mervillage from afar. Naruto persevered in dragging her as fast as his tail could carry them both, streaming through the gates and into the flourishing Mervillage of Azure, Capital of Elysium.

The streets were peaceful, all the sea-merchants having ceased business for the day and left for home to spend the night with their families, save for the occasional sounds of merbabies crying or dogfishes barking and catfishes mewing. The pebbles embedded in the limestone pavement, reflected the glow from the streetlamps, illuminating the undeviating path toward the heart of the town where the looming structure of the Royal Palace stood.

Advancing towards the giant arched doorway of the palace, the two lethargic mer-sentinels sat, musing, with heads leaning on their propped arms doing _absolutely_ nothing, despite their duties being to stay vigilant for intruders and they were anything but vigilant. She had always wondered how these two slackers were even able to acquire the position of mer-sentinels to begin with. They shuffled, adjusting their own chest-plates and assumed their guard-like disposition in the sentry post as Naruto and herself approached.

"Okairinasai Sakura-hime-sama!" The two nitwits declared with pristine vigor, bowing to her and gave a casual tilt of the chin to the blonde.

"Tadaima. Izumo-san, Kotetsu-san, you guys should look livelier, mou… Don't let the council members see you slacking off. You both know what _that _would earn you, right?" Sakura wagged a pointed finger at the blenching mer-sentinels while a menacing smirk played on her lips. "Oh well… maybe Kaa-sama will learn of this and—."

"Waa! We are terribly sorry Hime-sama! We beg for your forgiveness." They knelt to the ground with a bead of transparent sweat each trailing down from the side of their temples.

Sakura made a complete somersault as she roared in playful merriment. "Guys, you know I'm just kidding. Get up." Her coral locks cascaded gradually down behind her shoulders as she settled in the upright position and extended her hands out to the kneeling mermen.

They warily accepted, one on each side and she lugged them off the floor with a wide grin. This happens every single day, without fail. The princess found excitement in teasing the two mermen till kingdom come and though everyone knew she was only joking, they played along to entertain their precious princess. She, unlike her sisters, was the bubbly one, such was her nature and the merpeople adored her.

With a tug on her arm, the blonde pulled her away as she struggled to wave goodbye, allowing the two mermen to return to their unending task of surveillance. He continued leading her through the lush sea-garden, ornamented with verdant seaweeds, long and short, in varied shades of green and even yellow where the giant clams ostentatiously exhibited their flawlessly ground pearls that exuded an opaque chatoyant sheen, into the inner sanctum.

If anyone were to visit the Palace for the first time, one would have spent hours and hours basking in the intricate artistry, learning to appreciate beauty that was ineffable. However, having seen the exquisitely decorated walls day in and day out, Sakura blatantly disregarded the craftsmanship.

"Let go, Naruto! I can swim on my own! I said, 'let go'!" She snatched her arm from his grasp abruptly and acted nonchalant about it, making her way pass him down the winding corridor.

He stood there gawking like an idiot with mouth agape, blue eyes wide in disbelief. "Tch… Mergirls…"

She proceeded towards her chambers, delighting in the cool flux caressing her face, gently brushing back her view-obstructive bangs_._ Turning the knob to her private room, she entered and closed the door quietly behind her. She sat herself before her dresser, gazing into the twin emerald orbs that stared back and release a sigh. Mechanically, her fingers threaded through her pink locks, smoothing out the ends as she recollected the extremely eventful day she or rather, they, had spent in the secret grotto. _Humans… Magnificent creatures._

Her thoughts were wandering, conjuring images of how she would appear as one of them; with legs in place of her tail; to be able to run instead of swim. Being absorbed in her reverie, she unintentionally turned a deaf ear to the knocks that came from her door, not batting an eyelid even when the door swung open.

"Sakura…"

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><p><strong>AN:** Oh man, I can't write poems even if my life depended on it! D: *cries* I do hope that you liked this first chapter.

**Review**, 'cause it makes me happy. **Review**, 'cause it inspires me. **Review**, so I can sleep peacefully at night. **Review**, 'cause you know how much I love you. ... LOVE! *picks loudspeaker* **REVIEW IF YOU WANT LEMONS!**


	2. I Hope You Dance

Thank you for your reviews: **TheShadowedKissedAngel**, **Sam-AKA-SasuxSakuLover**, **J'ecris** (thanks for being my follower. :D), **Keio-chan**, **egirl88w00**, **animexfreakXD** (thanks for reading my stories. :D), **ExistentialGhost** (Thanks. O_O I love you best. *kisses*), **Evee9109**, **Rose**, **tobi-is-an-artist-too** (thanks for becoming a follower too. :D), **HlorkexD** and **ninjasakura15**.

Ok, I apologize for taking some time to come up with this chapter. I've been having a writer's block, but it's all good now! YAY! Thank you all for your reviews and support. I appreciate it.

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><p><strong>A Mermaid's Tale - Ninyou no Iwaku<strong>

Chapter 2: I Hope You Dance

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><p>"Sakura…"<p>

She turned in a hypnotic manner to face the source of her distraction.

Her eldest sister, crown princess of Elysium, had her brown tresses held together with strings of pearls in two similar buns on either side of her head. Her scales shimmered in comparable hue as her hair and she wore her deep brown clamshell bra beneath the translucent material of her cream coloured gown. The gown reached half the length of her tail; the same one that the princesses had to don on important occasions.

Sakura audibly gasped. She had completely forgotten that the queen was holding a party for her daughters to meet potential suitors.

It wasn't that she had accepted the fact that they, the princesses, had to marry mermen of royalty, but it was more of resignation to fate. She knew well enough that her mother's council would not have her associating herself with a random mer-peasant. Demonstrated once when she was five and had this minor crush on a fellow schoolmate, he and his family were sent to the farthest ridges of the Elysian Sea, never to be seen or heard from again. Her heart could not acquire forgiveness from herself, even now, and she determined to never again folly, lest the ones she love were sentenced to pay for 'crimes' they commit naught.

"Tenten-onee-sama, I'm sorry. It slipped my mind. I—."

"It's fine, but you have got to hurry. I've been informing the guests and the council members that you were getting yourself ready. Here, I'll help you."

With that, the mahogany eyed mermaid assisted her with her makeup and rosette locks, arranging it into a semi-messy chignon at the lower right of her head and pinning a white sea-lily to accentuate her features. When she was done, she directed Sakura before leaving the room that she will instruct Sakura's personal mer-guard to escort her to the ballroom where the party was held.

Sakura sighed, long and slow when she was once again left alone with the privacy she so treasured. Donning a façade during such appearances consumed her energy mentally, draining her of everything she felt was right in life. It wasn't that she was unhappy. She cherished her life and her friends and her family, although there were times she only wished she was born a commoner – where no one would judge her and that she may love the one she loved freely. She yearned to be 'normal'.

Pale snow chiffon fabric of her puffy-sleeved gown cascaded beautifully down to her mid-tail when she lifted off her chair to receive her said escort as the undeniable echo of his grumblings reached her ears from the hallway.

"Ne, Sa—." He stopped and stared just as his charge entered the scope of his vision, cerulean eyes scrutinizing the immaculate beauty of the mergirl, no, _merwoman_ in his forefront.

Discomfort built up within her as his gaze traveled from the top of her head to the tip of her fin. She clenched her fists, appalled by his uncouth behaviour. It was amazing how Naruto having spent almost his entire life inhabiting the palace and having the utmost privilege of being taught etiquette by the best of the best alongside the princesses, would do something as stupid as gawk at a mergirl, much less the princess herself. With a hitch of her breath, she punched him smacked between the eyes and watched in sadistic glee as the blonde slammed against the wall and collected on the marble floor in a puddle of orange gunk.

"That's to teach you not to ogle at females, Naruto no baka!" She pointed an accusing finger at him while her other hand rested at her hip. Then with a huff, she swam off without him.

"Sakura-chan… Sakura-chan, wait, dattebayo!" He whined pursuing after her. When he finally caught up, he held his elbow out, allowing her to link her hand through as they continued at a decorously refined pace towards their destination.

With every inch that they progressed closer to the ballroom made her heart palpitate a beat faster in her chest and her hold around his arm tightened.

He felt the shiver of her hand and caught a glimpse of her biting her lower lip, a habit the princess had whenever anxiety enveloped her. The blonde halted, pulling her to a stop alongside him. His brows creased with worry and his sapphire eyes searched her emeralds for the unspoken cause of her distress. Taking both her hands in his, he assured, "Nothing will happen to you. I swear I will protect you with my life."

She laughed a nervous burst, snatching her hands from his grasp. "I-I don't know what you're talking about..."

"Don't act dumb with me, Sakura-chan! We both know the reason why this party is held for." He hissed almost irately, despising the idea that she was forced into this against her will. "I'll protect you, mentally, emotionally and yes, physically. So don't worry. I won't let them take you, if they ever dare try."

She parted her lips to voice a quick comeback, but none came to mind. Her disposition slumped in surrender as she struggled to repress tears that sought release. Taking a deep calming breath of the natural oxygenated bubbles, she nodded diminutively at her friend. "Thank you, Naruto."

The blonde said nothing but smiled and thunked his forehead against hers, in a gesture that exhibited his sibling-like affection towards her. He always had a way to dissolve the negative emotions that threatened to suffocate her, that was the reason why she loved being around him despite his ridiculous obliviousness. She chuckled, shoving him back playfully and once again clutched onto his arm as he led her towards the ballroom.

Gentle music carried its way down the winding corridor to their ears and the familiar decorations of the ballroom entrance came into view as they neared. The merguard positioned by the door spotted the two and brought the mouthpiece of the trumpet to his lips, blowing a quick tune, short and sweet. When the sounds of guests' chatter quietened down, he inhaled a deep breath and bellowed, loud and clear. "Announcing the arrival of Her Royal Highness, Sakura-hime-sama."

Sakura exhaled a mute sigh and composed herself as her escort guided her pass the arched doorway into the exorbitantly decorated ballroom. The sweet smile that adorned her lips was practiced as was the demure wave issued to the assemblage with her unoccupied hand.

She took the opportunity to survey the crowds of merpeople, all extravagantly dressed up to the nines - merwomen in a myriad of gloriously coloured ballgowns and mermen in their sleekly pressed suits. Every one of them bowed in respectful adoration to their princess as she drifted down the aisle towards the one merwoman who sat dignified upon a majestic clamshell throne at the furthest end of the colossal ballroom. Her blonde hair - neatly tied into two separate pigtails draped loosely on her shoulders and a circlet encrusted with unpolished raw diamonds amplified her matured yet beautiful features, while her hazel eyes emanated wisdom of a well-perceptive leader. The silk layers of her cream coloured gown that concealed her yellow tail swayed lightly in the gentle ocean flux.

As the rosette approached the throne, her sight affixed on the ground and weariness had almost crept it way into her disposition. Kneeling herself before the queen, her mother, she gathered power in her voice, one that was expected of a princess whenever she spoke; one that Sakura despised.

"Your Majesty. My tardiness is unforgivable." She paused. "I pray that your Majesty's perpetual mercy be granted unto me."

It was as though all time and space had halted while she waited for the queen's approval that successfully unnerved her and the sensation of every pair of eyes piercing into her back was not assuring. Finally, Queen Tsunade directed with a tone more authoritative, more learned than her daughter's, caused the mermaid at her fin to suppress a quiver. "Rise, Sakura-hime, and take your place at the table."

"Your compassion is infinite, dear mother. I shall take my place." She lifted from the ground with aid from the blonde and hovered back with her front still facing the queen before turning to take her designated position at the elongated royal dining table.

Refined coral bowls and plates that splayed neatly across the tabletop were filled with an abundance of food in amazing varieties, like purple sea-prunes, green seasoned seaweeds and brown anemone kababs. The cutleries, too, were beautifully carved from the skeletal remains of corals. Every usable resource within the ocean floor was made reusable whether in its original form or not, such was the innovational proficiency of the life under waters.

Her eyes remained glued to the blank spot on the table as her body reverted to its mechanical state, until the voice of her second sister came from beside her, breaking her from her reverie.

"Sa-Sakura-chan, wh-where have y-you been?"

Sakura paid notice to the slight furry of brows above the pair of gray eyes and the tiny curve of her lips. Her sister's cheeks flushed its perennial crimson hue that seemed all natural tonight in correspondence with the event; her long dark tresses tinged with a shade of blue gathered at the small of her back while her bangs framed her face, complimenting her smooth creamy skin.

Sakura nodded slowly in respect to her superior and answered with a smile plastered on her pink lips. "I have been busy, Hinata-onee-sama. Thank you for your kind apprehension."

Hinata blushed a little redder when her eyes met the ceruleans belonging to the young merman beside the pinkette. "Na-Na... Naruto-kun."

"Yo! Hinata-chan." said the blonde with a wave of his palm, beaming his farcical grin that caused his eyes to crunch tightly shut.

Sakura groaned and nudged him a hard one with her elbows, emeralds flashing a warning. How many times did she have to remind him to regard royalty with their appropriate titles? What more now in the presence of guests. And all the merman responded with was the widening his eyes and tilting of his chin in question before returning his attention to the seaweed-ramen that was placed in his forefront.

She almost choked on her tongue when Naruto clapped his palms together and declared aloud, "Itadakimasu!" Every pair of eyes in the room turned in the direction of the clamour. Suppressing the pinkness rising to her cheeks, the princess emitted an awkward chuckle and waved a hand to indicate that there was nothing amusing to be seen.

After the guests returned their attention to each their own, Sakura observed as the oblivious merman who was undeterred by the mer-people's reaction, feasted on his dish as if he was never fed in his life, slurping the noodles and stock all in a go while signaling the waiter for another. To say that she was embarrassed was an understatement.

She was about to voice her dissent when the familiar sound of the mer-announcer's trumpet blew through the waters. The tune played was one that signified the arrival of foreign royalty.

Sitting herself straight in her chair, she conducted herself with poise and elegance that would make her etiquette teacher beam with utmost pride. She gazed at the main entrance in anticipation of the said royalty and her curiousity was soon rewarded when a merman drifted gradually into view.

Clad in a black tuxedo, sleek and sharp, it complimented the dark, dark midnight of his sturdy tail. With each powerful swipe, she could practically see the invisible molecules of liquid swirl behind him as he made his way forward. His posture, tall and proud, and the aura of aristocracy that peel off him wave after wave caused every mermaid in the ballroom to swoon. She swore she heard him utter a tiny grunt before that captivating smirk played on his lips. The prince proceeded to the throne, to offer greeting as a form of respect that was necessary in the presence of authority. The vital organ in her chest was racing at a thousand miles, so much that breathing alone was agonizing and when the merman completed his essential duty and advanced towards her, her heart almost gave out.

With the stretch of his hand as an invitation and the lilt of mesmerizing baritone, he asked, "May I have the honour of this dance, Sakura-hime?"

It was as though every muscle in her body tensed at the sound of her name, yet how her petite palm found its way into his firm clasps or when he glided her smoothly off her seat to center-stage was beyond her. The merpeople had cleared a path for the royal couple to take their place on the dance-floor.

The lavender of his eyes so pale yet deep, bored into her emeralds as his arm wound to rest on the small of her back, pressing her flush against his warmth. His other hand lifted hers in counterpart while they shifted into each their stance. With a sway, he commenced leading her in a graceful dance in tempo with the slow melodious tune. Her pupils affixed themselves on the curl at the side of his lips before timidly rising to meet with his.

She could see the tiny glimmer of a smile reflecting from his eyes as he spoke loud enough for only their ears. "Hyuuga Neji – Crown Prince of the Arcadian Seas."

The sensation of blood rushing though her veins that created that pink glow on her cheeks caused her to minutely shudder while she struggled to sound as impassive as royalty should. "Pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Neji-ouji-sama."

A mute gasp escaped her as he abruptly twirled her around three-hundred and sixty degrees by her fingertips in three elegant circles, making her snow-white chiffon gown to flare slightly up with each turn, before drawing her back into his clutch with their hands reconnected. Sakura was sure at this very moment her face grew redder than the reddest sea slug that ever existed in the oceans and it took more than anticipated for her not to gape at the merman.

One human minute passed between them in complete silence. One minute that seemed longer than it should as he continued guiding her in their dance. Mer-people who had paired up among themselves and gradually poured onto the dance floor, every couple in absolutely flawless harmony with the significant pair in the center. When she turned, the females turned and when he pulled her back, they followed suit; everyone syncing perfectly with each other.

In the final bar of the Waltz, the Arcadian prince twirled her around a last time, slowly about by his hand and instead of stopping her mid-step like all the other couples were doing, he lightly lugged Sakura back to him and dipped her low as the musical instruments halted in a crisp ending.

Her chest heaved not from the vigorousness of the dance, but from catching the breath he stole away from her. He held her in position as the mer-people all who fastened their eyes on them applauded the rare and spectacular performance bestowed by two royalties. Though it did not matter to them. Nothing did, save for themselves.

She gazed up into his pale lilac eyes with his face so close, his long noir bangs grazing her cheek and their breaths mingled in what little proximity they had in between before he lifted her to her upright stature. With an offer, she daintily slipped her hand to link their arms together as they bowed to the spectators, signifying the conclusion of the number.

"You are an amazing partner, Sakura-hime." The merman returned her to her place at the table and bowed once before making his way to his seat.

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><p>If that dance was not the highlight of the night, then she don't know else what is. Sakura sighed and tossed herself onto her bed, coral tresses splayed out messily atop the sponge pillow. She could not resist the pull of facial muscles that formed the satisfied grin on her lips as the scene replayed itself over and over in her mind. Grabbing the pillow from under her head, she muffled her chuckles, lest a servant walked by her chambers and found her insanely laughing to herself. That would be awkward.<p>

It has been two hours since the ball ended and she was escorted back to her room by a fully sated Naruto. He was apparently too absorbed with his seaweed ramen that he had entirely missed out on the dance. Her dance. However, she being utterly mesmerized by the prince wasn't in the mood to admonish the blonde and allowed it to slide.

The princess rolled over to lie on her front, cuddling the cushion in her arms. Sleep was not what she needed at this point of time, not while the night is still young. She swam to the sole window in her private chambers and gazed over the Azure, the mer-village. The streetlamps still emanated a faint glow and it looked almost magical from where she stood. Maybe a stroll in the gardens will usher in sleep. She lifted from the sill and sped to her door.

It was past hours and if she were to be caught sneaking around palace grounds the consequences would be inconceivable, though lesser for a princess, yet the adrenaline that pumped through her veins encouraged her. Creaking open her door slightly, she peeped through the tiny crack. The lamps along the passageways were dimmed for the night, the perfect atmosphere for creeping to the gardens. Her heart palpitated in her chest as she slipped out between the gap and shut the door silently behind her. She smoothed her palms on her the gown she had not changed out from as she plotted out the preferred route. _'Move down south, turn right at the ballroom, then left to the main hall, down the secret stairway and freedom!'_

The soft thud that echoed through the corridors broke her from her trail of thoughts, startling her and she raced down the path to the closest corner to conceal herself from whomsoever or whatsoever caused the noise. She raised a hand to rest on her chest as if to soothe her accelerated heartbeat, while she waited. Nothing or no one came round the corner and after a while, she peeped from the angle and exhaled the breath she wasn't aware she held back. Upon ascertaining that the coast was clear, she quietly slid out to continue the journey as planned.

As she approached the ballroom, she could still hear the sound of the servants deterging the place from behind the large closed doors. Inquisitiveness was always her flaw, but this time she managed to resist a peek and glided forward, making a left turn to the main hall. She halted just before the entrance into pitch darkness and pressed her back against the cold limestone sidewall. She vaguely remembered where the hidden lever that opened the trapdoor, but in the dark it made it a tad more difficult to locate.

Inhaling a long calming breath, the rosette swam into the vast shadows with her white gown tailing behind her, disappearing into the darkness. Forcing herself to recall the position of lever, she floated to the highest point in the hall, careful not to collide with the massive chandelier and felt her way around with aid of the ceiling. Jade eyes squinted to focus, discerning the well-disguised silhouette of the ten intricate and identical glass pieces that made the first tier of the chandelier. One of these was the key to freedom, which _one_ though was her predicament. Why the number 'seven' kept repeatedly flashing in her mind's eye could be the answer. _'Seven from the left or was it seven from the right? Where am I to start in this complete circle?' _Activating the wrong switch would alert the guards.

Reaching her finger forward, she hesitated as she counted and recounted, circling round the ten glass pieces before hovering over one that emitted a strange vibration. _'Kami be damn if I get this wrong._' Hitching her breath, she prodded the crystal gently and nothing happened. Increasing the pressure a little more on the glass earned her a sharp _'click'_. She stiffened and anxiety coursed through every nerve ending.

A low grinding came from the bottom of the room and she hurried down to observe the trapdoor rising in a crawl to reveal the secret stairway. _'Mission is almost accomplished.'_ The smile on her features faded when she heard the swishing of liquid and clanking of armor approaching in her direction. Despite having found the correct lever the guards had been notified.

"Hurry!" She rasped at the inanimate object and dove into the secret stairway as soon as the gap was large enough for her to slip through before closing the trapdoor behind her. Cupping her hands over her mouth in attempt to silence herself, lest she gave an unexpected outburst, she crouched down as low as she could, listening intently to the chatter of guards as they scoured the main hall for signs of intrusion. The thumping of her heart resounded in her ears as her body, paralyzed by fear, remained rigid.

'_Kami forbid that they should find me. Please, don't let them find me.'_

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><p><strong>AN**: Well, I know you guys were expecting our favourite Avenger. He will come! I promise! NEXT CHAPTER! PROMISE! CROSS MY HEART! *crosses heart*

I apologize if I failed you with this installment, I had a really hard time with the block. I'm sorry.

And thank you my dear Queen Laelia, for pointing me in the right direction._ *bows*  
><em>


	3. Starlight, Starbright

"Ngaaahh!" *chews on feety-toes* Just in the mood to make random noises. XD

Thank you for your reviews: **Evee9109 **(XD "Go Eevee! I choose you!"), **Silver-Firelizard **(Cool pen-name), Anonymous (Hell yeah!), **SixDaysofDecember** (Happy birthday! XD), **HinatasHelper **(Mommy likey! XD), **tobi-is-an-artist-too**, **Akiko J. Suzuki** (:D), **Rather Preferred**, **BribriGTC**, **XeniaKunoichi** (^_^), **SakuraBlossom07 **(OMG Really? O_O Ahhh! Is honoured!), **Bell555** (*licks your hand*), Anonymous2 and **Animelover351** (Yay! Mermaid stories always make my day! You're welcome).

You guys made me so happy with your response, here's your gift! - read it!

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><p><strong>A Mermaid's Tale - Ninyou no Iwaku<strong>

Chapter 3: Starlight, Star-bright

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><p>The darkness in the secret stairway was five shades darker than it was in the hall above the trapdoor. Sakura stayed at where she was, body pressed flush against the cold granite wall, crouching at the base where it met with the ground. Her breathing - rapid yet silent, assisted with keeping her composure in check. Sounds of clanking armor and the mersoldiers' prodding apparatus from above ground reverberated through the permeable layer that separated the two rooms.<p>

'THUNK! THUNK!'

Startled, she muffled her outburst into her hands. She knew she had to move and she has to do so now.

Wasting not a second more, the rosette flapped her tailfin with as much strength she could conjure and sailed through the concentrated liquid, praying for her eyes to focus in the dark and begging Kami to help her escape. The tempo of her heartbeat spiked, sending adrenaline to flood her every vein, manipulating her body to swim in the direction it took her on its own accord. Exactly where she was heading to now was no longer pursuant to her earlier plans.

Maneuvering through the maze-like structure, the princess endeavored to escape her 'pursuers' making it past corner after corner before realizing that the mersoldiers would have probably let up on the search. Even if they had trailed after her, they wouldn't be able to locate her that effortlessly by now.

She slowed to a halt and propped her palm against the wall for support as she allowed for her frantic breathing to stabilize while she rested her jade eyes in effort to calm herself down. Frightening as the experience may seem at the moment, she had to admit that there was a rush. Never had she felt so alive!

A grin formed on her features and she suppressed an amused chuckle. Lifting her lashes, her eyes had newfound vision in spite of the obscurity of her confines. She paused to assimilate her surroundings while her mind laboured to piece everything into perspective. Deciding on the most logical choice, she continued down the path into the unknown. She knew she was probably lost in a maze of sorts, but what she had learnt from fraternizing with that blonde-haired loudmouth was to never surrender, especially when all odds appeared to be a hindrance.

She followed the pathway deeper into the structure, past meandering roads. It felt as though she had been circling for hours in the shrouds getting nowhere, until a faint glow from around the bend greeted her. At that very moment she swore she could scream in praise to Kami for his guidance as she sped towards the source. Her heart skipped over beats in anticipation of a doorway to freedom, but all she found was a miniscule puncture in the wall that allowed the gentle ray of light to seep though. She heaved a heavy sigh of disappointment.

As she approached the gap, the soft beam spilled onto her creamy skin and refracted off her scales painting the encompassing darkness with a tinge of crystal clear emerald. Positioning her right eye over the peephole, she peered into the other room, recognizing it instantly to be the throne room where the queen would be stationed daily, delegating duties and attending to the needs of merpeople. Though why the lights would be switched on at this time of night eluded her and those murmuring voices...

Her curiosity piqued and she shifted herself slightly to the left, just enough for two individuals to enter the scope of her vision. Her mother. And judging from the posture and composition of the male she was conversing with; his stature; height; long black hair; he was, without an ounce of doubt, the merman she had danced with at the ball. What was his business here?

Straining to make coherent the distance droning of the duo, she silenced her breathing into little zephyrs.

First came the undeniable voice of the queen emanating with habitual authority and confidence. "Are you certain, Neji-ouji?"

Sakura watched as the prince tilted this head just slightly to the side as he replied in a tone unrushed and heartbreakingly apathetic. "Hai, this marriage will be beneficial to both sea-nations. Imagine the political possibilities, Your Majesty."

There was hesitant pause as her mother inhaled a quiet breath. "Then, it shall be so. Sakura will be your betrothed at dawn."

Emerald eyes widened as she raised a hand over her mouth to stifle the oncoming outburst of bewilderment. And that was nothing but an understatement. Determining that they had not heard her, she backed away from the tiny vantage-point until her back came into contact with the wall, while she listened to her mother issuing orders to her personal assistant.

"Shizune! Prepare the necessities for the announcement."

The ongoing battle in her mind betrayed the calm expression of cogitation on her face as the rosette sat on the cold stone floor of the passageway, piecing together the rampant thoughts into rational ones in futility. All that her mind could form up was '_leave_', '_flee_', '_go_' and the sound of her heart beating in her ears that never returned to the calm rhythmic tempo it had minutes before, clouded her judgment.

The next thing she knew, she had lifted herself from the ground and swam. Swam as fast as her tail could propel her through the waters. Away from her fate. Away from the foisted duties of royalty. The sting in her tear-ducts informed that she was close to breaking down. She had to leave this life if she ever were to find true happiness. Lifting her arms straight out before her to part the suddenly denser liquid, she peregrinate quickly past each bend, not fully knowing where she was heading to, yet depending only on her instincts to lead the way.

Restraining the pressure of body-wrecking sobs, Sakura endeavoured to find the way out of this secret stairway and not before long, her perseverance paid off. She arrived at the dead end, or so she believed, until she noticed the trapdoor and its lever ingeniously concealed by deep sea foliage. She laboured at untangling the weeds from the device, shredding from the roots and finally, wrapped her sleek fingers around the shaft and dragged it down. The mechanism initiated with a resonating 'clank' and the un-oiled gears ground as it unbolted and opened inch by tiny inch. Sakura hitched her breath as a cool, refreshing flux rushed against her skin.

Dusting off the remnant particles that clung unto her, she peered out timidly from behind her hiding place, ensuring that her safety was secured prior to her emergence. She was still on palace grounds – the gardens, to be exact. The long unanswered question of why the humongous giant clam that seemed somewhat out of place was logical now that she knew it was the other end of the secret stairway. She observed as the clam closed its mouth, sealing shut tightly without a slightest gap in between and everything returned to its quiet state of rest.

Aware that the probability of detection would be greater if she stuck close to the seafloor, she turned, flipping her fin and cautiously sped to the nearest coral tree. She ducked behind its long, sleek trunk from view, managing to not evoke the attention of the merguard that mechanically patrolled pass.

Sakura inhaled a much needed breath of fresh oxygen to focus herself on the matter at hand, taking the next most relevant step to her escape - analyzing her 'enemies'. She watched closely from behind the tall trunk as the merguards went about their route, back and forth, each one passing by another, reinforcing the security.

She muttered under her breath, "How do I do this?" Her emerald eyes wandered along the sleeping seafloor, coming to rest on a pebble the size of her palm and a strategy started to form in her mind. She bent down low to gently reach for it. Fiddling with the piece in her hand, she absorbed the sensation of its serrated edges against her skin – a beautiful element of nature that would aid in her mission.

She bolstered strength in her arms, aimed and flung the stone the same way Kakashi-sensei had taught her to, towards the large boulder at the farthest most corner of the garden. When the two collided, it created an unadulterated sound that reverberated through the waters, echoing long enough to attain the merguards' attentions. The results were as she had foreseen and while the guards busied themselves with their duty to verify the suspicious noise, she launched, at a speed that amazed herself, into the vast ocean.

Never had she in her eighteen years ever experienced adrenaline pouring through her veins, the quickening of her heartbeat or the way she swam as if her life depended on it, like the way it was now. She could not believe she was doing this – running from the castle; leaving not just royalty behind, but also her friends and family.

The audible voice in her head repeated itself, _'You can turn back now if you want, Sakura, and live the life that people have planned out for you...'_, only stirring up passion and determination to disappear far, far away from all this.

She could see it now, the glimmer of soft white moonlight shimmering above her before she burst out from under the surface for the very first time into the air – our air. The deafening noise of the waters parting in disagreement filled her ears as did the sound of frantic beating wings of rudely awakened seagulls. All time seem to have halted for a moment as she glided over the sea. Her body suspended as if by a thin invisible thread in a perfect curve before gravity pulled her back into the ocean.

Not hesitating for a bit, the rosette once again emerged from beneath the surface, this time remaining afloat. Words could not describe the things she saw for the first time. All fell short of the splendor and magnificence that greeted her eyes. Sparkling white stars littered the deep midnight canvas while whimsical gray clouds added the final touches to creating the masterpiece of a flawless night sky. The prominent entity that caught her attention was the bright crescent-shaped moon with ends as sharp as a knife's edge, showered its illuminating rays onto earth. It mesmerised her.

It took everything she had to peel her inquisitive emeralds away from the heavens and swim her way to the nearest rock. With a strong flap of her tailfin, Sakura perched on the flat stone, stabling herself with only her two arms. The translucent material of her gown clung to her like a second skin and the sheen on the exposed portion of her flesh caused by the rays of the pale moonlight, made her appear almost immaculate.

She lowered her lashes for a moment to catch her fleeting breath, inhaling the air for what was her conscious first-time. The oxygen that journeyed into her lungs saturated it with a strange wholeness and the scent of salt and sea that came along with it blew her mind in proportions she never thought possible. She tilted her chin just slightly to savour the sensation of gentle zephyrs caressing her moist skin, pushing back the stray strands of pink that hindered her vision. Releasing a sigh of utmost appreciation for nature, the princess remained perched on the lonely rock, in the middle of the sea, musing and contemplating her next course of action.

It soon dawned on her that the world had suddenly gone silent. The birds had halted their chirpings. The waves had stopped colliding against the cliffs. Everything was at an abrupt standstill and there was an ominous feeling about it all, so much that the tiny hairs at the back of her neck stood on ends. Something was wrong and she knew it. But what was it?

She gazed to the shoreline and noticed that the waters were receding swiftly from the banks as if the ocean was beckoning all that belonged to return to its heart. She continued to observe with incredulity as the liquid gradually hauled back farther and farther away from the shore, exposing the tiny crabs scurrying on the seabed, seeking shelter in their temporary dug-up holes, while the barnacles, embedded onto the rocks and cliff-walls, found security within themselves. Even her tail was no longer submerged under the sea.

Turning around to analyze where the source of the pull was, her emerald eyes widen in sheer horror when they caught sight of what appeared to be a rapidly building wall of water. It was pure terror to imagine the results of such a disaster unleashing upon the city beyond the shores; the devastation; the wrecks; the precious human lives taken in unawares. If fear was what she had felt while escaping from her sea kingdom, this was far worse. She was petrified.

Diving down into what shallow waters that remained, the mermaid swam as fast as she could in the opposite direction, towards the shore. She zipped past, avoiding random obstacles and flotsam, but when an assertive current came in full force, it proved too strong for her. Maybe jumping headlong into the sea was a bad idea, but it was too late now. A turbulant surge dragged her back with it as she struggled to escape. She flailed her arms to reach out for anything she should could grip onto, but found nothing of aid. The more she trashed about, the worse it became. She could feel the sensation of her tender scales peeling off and delicate tailfin shredding under the immense pressure. No matter how loud she cried out, no one could hear her. It was, indeed, too late now.

As the violent flux dragged her back and upwards into the building wall of sea, she parted her lips and issued a frantic plea, _'Kami-sama, if you hear me, grant me this last wish before taking me... Onegai, Kami-sama, spare them.'_

A blinding light burst forth from her chest, eradicating the darkness of the night and a rush of heat flooded her being right to her fingertips. All she saw was white and nothing else. A strange yet peaceful power surged through her, throwing her head back on its own accord and she felt it flow down her tail. Then a sharp pain enveloped her, as if katana pieced it way entirely through her at the pelvis and advanced in a slow agonizing pace, little by little to her fin. It toyed with her mind – that the intangible blade was cutting her; slicing her into bits and pieces. Maybe then her remains would sink to the very ocean; returning her to the depths where she belonged.

She clenched her fists, digging crescent impressions into her palms; squeezed her eyes tightly shut as her features contorted to portray perfect torment and screamed as loud as she could in attempt to counter the pain, yet not a single sound escaped her mouth. _'No… Iya da, kore… (I don't want this…).'_ The consciousness she struggled to hold onto fleeted away.

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><p>The man, donned in an exquisite full charcoal gray suit, grunted as he dug the key into the doorknob and twisted it opened. Obsidian orbs darted around room, inspecting every detail under the dim moonlight; even the layer of dust that collected on the Victorian furniture did not escape scrutiny and until he was satisfied that everything was as he had left it to be, he shuffled into the carpeted room. Shutting the door behind him, he chucked his bulky luggage by the corner and proceeded up the stairs to the second level.<p>

Unraveling his maroon necktie from around the collar of his pressed white shirt, he allowed it to slip from his fingers to the floor as he headed down the narrow hallway to the opened balcony at the end of the pathway. His gravity-defying hair fluttered as a tiny gust of wind journeyed his way, parting the long forelocks that obscured his flawlessly sculpted face. The pair of eyes that reflected the pale light of the moon was set deep with wonder, affixing themselves beyond the shadows of the horizon.

He leaned his palms on the railings and inhaled the scent of the place he had forsaken. How long has it been since he had returned here… to Konoha. He can never forget.

It was his birthday – his eighteenth. Five years of which he spent alone. The same five he spent chasing every single lead he learnt of, that only resulted in barrenness. But no, failure was never the answer he'd be appeased with. Vengeance was his to claim and he vowed to claim it. To find – he hissed through clenched teeth – the murderer responsible for his family's death.

Returning here brought a barrage of memories - beautiful, yet painful. He recalled her smile, precious row of white; the soft gentle voice with the uncanny ability to make all troubles disappear; her long straight tresses that he'd tangle around his little fingers when he was a child; the only woman he had known and loved - his mother.

He went on to remember his father. A man of pride and dignity; who even with an apathetic front, was able to express little semblances of care and concern. Owner of the famed organisation, Sharingan Inc., which was willed to the man he sought after. The man - he slammed an anguished palm on the metal bar - Uchiha Itachi.

The Konoha Military had notified him that two bodies were found, mutilated beyond recognition, on the beach five years ago. It was in the middle of the Great War when it happened, but because of the Uchiha's immense wealth, further testing and DNA comparisons were allowed and the results showed that they were indeed his parents. It was after the media announcement that the death of his parents was sabotage and not as casualties of war that Itachi mysteriously disappeared without word. Upon further investigations and probing by the CIA, with the aid of an anonymous witness, it was concluded, without a speck of doubt, that his bro— no... that _that_ man had killed his parents.

"Otou-san (Father)… soshite, Okaa-san mo (and, mother too). I will definitely avenge your deaths." He held the railing in a death-grip as rage overwhelmed him. "Zettai da (Definitely)!" He slumped to the floor. "Zettai da…"

Hours past with the boy of eighteen sitting there, spiteful and bitter, grieving for the happiness he once knew. He had his face buried in the arm that rested on his raised knee. How many nights he had spent sleepless? Calculating; pursuing; researching. He was tired. Slumber was like a friend long lost, but it chose now to finally lull him into its depths and he was so close to surrendering. Until a low rumble reached his ears, dragging him rudely out of sleep's embrace. All weariness left as he lifted his head from his arm to scan the area surrounding for the source of distraction.

He noticed the once star-littered firmament was now bare and insipid, as though the life-force had been sapped away and the breeze that had flowed his way became stagnant. Propping himself up, the raven-haired man stood to his full height and gazed over the balcony. Something was amiss and he could sense it. He squinted to discern the indistinct silhouettes, when a miniscule glimmer in the darkness beyond the caught his eye. It appeared to be suspended from the atmosphere, like a fallen star from the celestial encompass.

Then, it increased in intensity, becoming shinier, brighter with every passing millisecond. Oh, the slight expression of horror, despite the proficiency of keeping his every emotion concealed, crept onto his features when he saw that wall of water. _'This cannot be the apocalypse! It must not! Not when my revenge has yet to be extracted! God forbid!'_

A ripple of blinding white burst from that little 'star', sweeping over the sleeping city and sped towards him in a flash. Almost mechanically his instincts took over. He couched over and shielded himself from ethereal blast. It did nothing, except wash over him and the town. As the brightness waned, he cautiously lowered his arm and immediately searched for the 'star'. Had he been a split second late, he would not have witnessed the seemingly infallible liquid wall disintegrate, taking with it the faltering starlight and peace was restored to the sleeping town.

It somehow unsettled him. "What the hell…"

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><p><strong>AN**: Well, what do you know? "**Otanjoubi omedetou gozaimasu, Sasuke-chan! **^_^ MAY ALL YOUR WISHES… _save for the successful execution of your revenge on Konoha x_x_… COME TRUE! :D"

**Reviews** would do me much good! ^_^d For the sake of my little brother-in-law. O_O Wait, didn't anyone tell you? I married Itachi a month ago, that's why I couldn't update as quick from all the *ahem* we've been having. Now! Ask me if it's scandalous to write lemons about my new relative and his girlfriend. XD


	4. Distant Memories

I absolutely regret not being able to upload this chapter earlier as I was working on that ItaOC intensive oneshot; struggling to cope with my day job as a legal assistant and studying law at the same time.. So please accept my apology.

Thank you for your reviews: **Nimbafuu** (Why, hello! I haven't heard from you in a while. :D); **tobi-is-an-artist-too** (XD I think 3D is the new law.); **Evee9109** (Are you still crying over the ItaOC oneshot?); **CertifyyedGoon** (You don't have to own Japanese furniture to be Japanese, girl.); **Akiko J. Suzuki** (I had a awesome time with Ita! Thanks! :D); **ILoveSxS** (Wait no longer then!); **Animelover351** (D: Ita commited bigamy?); **Silver-Firelizard** (Thank you. :D); **ExistentialGhost** (2 reviews! Yay! :D *kisses*); **xxxPinkCupCakesxxx** (Stay tuned!); **musoninjaRAWR** (I will. :D RAWR!); **withloveagain** (Another case of bigamy? D: *punches Itachi*); **annee loves sasusaku** (:D I LOVE YOU BABE! Whee!).

**Animelover351**,** withloveagain **and** Je'cris, **please note that the ITAOC oneshot was written in your honour! It is an OC story only because Kishimoto didn't give her a name. You'll understand when you read the summary.

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><p><strong>A Mermaid's Tale - Ninyou no Iwaku<strong>

Chapter 4: Distant Memories

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><p>He stood there on the ledge of the balcony of his mansion, not fully capable of comprehending what he had just witnessed with his own eyes, staring out to the darkness of the night, discerning past the silhouettes of buildings and other structures and out into the space where the ocean was situated. Everything had returned to the calm and serene state prior to the entire catastrophic turn of events, yet this sleeping town, save for himself, would wake the next morning completely ignorant.<p>

A nagging pull, like a metal piece drawn to a magnet, overwhelmed him and the next thing he realised was that the sound of urgent footsteps reverberating through the empty corridor belonged to him. He found himself racing down the flight of stairs, skipping steps by the twos in absolute haste and jumping to the ground at the last pair. Stopping to slip on his leather shoes in a hurry, he then burst through the door and slammed it shut without turning back.

Labouring to recall the route he once so often traveled with his late mother, he dashed along the pathway that led to the beach. The disagreeing flux of cool wind, caused by the direction of his travel, clashed against his body, acting as a minor hindrance as he ran. The collar of his white shirt and his noir forelocks fluttered with way of the wind. Hell no, was he going to give a damn if his footsteps wake the neighbours. That was the least of his concern at this point.

He made a sharp left turn by the grocery store, proceeding straight for another half-mile before meandering past several bends through the local park and finally, up the concrete stairs leading to the beach. The coastline of the Elysian Sea extended for miles, continuing past the many states of Japan and for him to locate that fallen star, was for him to be as dense as searching for a needle in a haystack, but he didn't give a damn right now. It could not be too far off.

The lamplights shone dimly at their allocated spots far from the shore as he slowed to a halt beside one of them. He squinted into the shadows, scrutinizing the contours of the dunes. He shuddered as the sound of rolling waves reached his ears and pungent scent of natural sea salt drifted to his nostrils, bringing with it a multitude of suppressed memories.

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><p>"<em>Okaa-san! Mite (Look at this)!" shouted the little boy of five, clad in only a pair of multicoloured swim-shorts. <em>

_He spun around on his heels to face the woman sitting on a laid out red-checkered picnic mat and saw her watching him with such fondness in her obsidian eyes. A sudden draft of wind blew her way causing the material of her white sundress to ripple against her smooth skin, while her long black tresses lifted gently in the flux. She instinctively pressed a hand on the top of her woven hat to hold it in place and waved with her free hand in acknowledgement. It was her bright smile that spurred him to run to her and want to bury himself in her comforting arms._

_Sprinkles of sand kicked up into the air with every stride as he quickened his pace, holding out his palm clasped tightly as if he held something of precious value. His face animated such joy as he scooted towards his mother. So engrossed he was in getting to his destination on uneven grounds, the little raven boy lost his footing and tumbled face-first onto the impressively elaborate sand-art his older brother of four years had been meticulously working on the moment they got to the beach, smashing it flat in the process._

_He heard the older boy grunt in displeasure and utter something along the line of 'orokanaru otouto (foolish little brother)' and he groaned, knowing that Itachi was not going to let this slide. Scrambling to his feet, he took the chance to inspect the devastation he caused to the miniature sand-city. The mold of his face was imprinted, smacked right in the middle where the town hall once situated and his limbs which sprawled in all directions had crumbled the city's foundations. He sweat-dropped and a lump started to form in his throat._

_Peering from the corner of his eyes, he caught sight of Itachi studying him with cold dark orbs and that stoic expression never failed to send chills down his spine. When Itachi stretched out his hand poised to strike, the little boy braced himself, shut his eyes tight and waited for the onslaught of attacks._

"_Sasuke." Came the calm soothing lilt of tenor and he cracked open his eyes cautiously, in time for Itachi to flick him on the forehead with two fingers._

"_Ita-ta-ta (ow)…" Sasuke grumbled under his breath as he rubbed at the glowing red mark on his head with the back of his hand. "Mou, nii-san…" His brother smirked._

_The slender woman ran towards him and dusted the particles that clung to his body and shorts. "Sasuke-kun! Are you alright, love?" _

_He blushed as she ruffled his mussed locks in adoration still adorning the same smile on her delicate features. "Ii-kara, ii-kara (I'm fine)… Here!" Holding out his clenched fist, he waited for his mother to reach out before revealing his treasure. It was a nautilus shell that sparkled under the rays of the afternoon sun, refracting a chatoyant opaque sheen like mother-of-pearl. To his little eyes, she was as beautiful as it was._

"_Why, thank you, darling." She exclaimed as he fervently placed it on her receiving palm._

_He chortled amusedly in response, observing her chuckle alongside him. Their happy laughter rang through the air, echo increasing with each passing second when it abruptly ceased and everything was gone._

* * *

><p>He saw with his mind's eye the breaking glass of memories when the blaring noise of crashing waves hauled him back into reality. He remembered her so vividly, as though it was only yesterday that he had last given her that shell; the brush of her hand on his cheeks and the kiss she would so often place on his forehead at bedtime. He missed her.<p>

How he had wandered to the shoreline, he could not recall, but nevertheless, there he stood, gazing out into the starless night sky. His vision traveled down to the surface of the ocean where the rays from the crescent shaped moon above were distorted into a million fragments spreading far and wide. Crouching down, he scooped a handful of fine white dust and watched blankly as it sifted through the gaps between his fingers under the soft moonlight. This was where he had found the nautilus.

He shook his head to rid himself of the old memories. They were not worth his time. He had buried these happy reminiscences years ago. There were only two things that his life would ever allow and they were: one – pain; and two – vengeance. He scoffed. What stupidity it was to ever dream of bliss when it didn't even exist to begin with.

A soft whimper caught him off-guard and he stiffened, turning around, not having expected company at this time of night, yet there was not a single soul. Huffing insolently, he deliberately disregarded the fact that he, the stoic Uchiha Sasuke, was almost, _almost_ startled by what would have probably a stray cat rummaging the bin. He grunted in amusement and decided to spend what was left of this night to keep vigil for daybreak. After all, sleep had chosen to abandon him yet again, like everything and everyone else did.

Shoving his hands into either pocket of his charcoal grey pants, he strolled along the shore, musing. Every step he took was heavily ladened with a memory. He could still visualise the news coverage of the two bodies found among the casualties of war - the black bags granting their pale bodies one last private moment; strands of her coal hair spilling from the sides or his aged hand that dangled limply from under the sheet – as the paramedics carried them away. What was worse was he hadn't known they were his parents back then.

Sasuke halted dead in his track, eyes widening with bewilderment. The heavens had to be pulling a prank on him now. It cannot be. He could feel the little hairs at the back of his neck stand on ends and the thumping of his heart against his ribs like it never did before. There, sprawled on the ground exactly where the waters graced the earth, was _her_. This had to be a joke.

She was facing away from him with a delicate arm resting across her waist while the other pillowed her head. Each time a wave rolled in, the pale material of her gown would harmonize with it, flowing gracefully back and forth as did her long dark tresses.

He bolted across the sand. "Kaa-san!" Crying out with agony evidently portray in his voice, he stumbled almost like he was that little boy again. "Kaa-san..." Pain reflected so clearly on his face as he held her by the shoulders and turned her over. His obsidian pupils relaxed slightly and he released a huff, well-nigh a sigh of disappointment, when he beheld her face. It wasn't her.

He laid her gently back down on the ground. In his anxiety he hadn't noticed how frigid her skin was to his touch or that she was deadweight when he had lifted her, though now he did.

'_Is she... dead?'_ He drew closer, positioning his ear an inch away from her face and listened to the stillness of her breathing. Hearing nothing, he pressed two fingers to the crevasse where her neck met with her chin. He felt the quiet fluttering of her pulse, so perilously light akin to the way butterflies flapped their fragile wings as they take flight. He felt the involuntary tensing of her muscles when the breeze drifted in from the sea. If he left her here like he first intended, there was no way she was going to survive the night.

Grunting with displeasure at his conscience, he slipped an arm under her neck, another under her knees and carried her. To his astonishment, she weighed close to nothing. Shifting her slightly, he started making his way cautiously in the sand towards the path he had taken. As he approached the erected lamplights, the illusion darkness caused before dissipated and he halted in amusement, staring at the girl in his arms. The most unique amongst all her traits that acquired his attention was not her pale baby smooth skin; nor was it her strangely wide forehead, but her once dark hair that bonded together in thick waterlogged strands was actually the unnatural colour of... _'Pink?'_

Averting his attention back to the task at hand, he journeyed home at a reasonable pace, since he don't exactly know how frail the girl he held in his arms was. When he reached the doorstep of his mansion, he kicked open the door he had left unlocked and entered. Laying her gently down on the couch, he proceeded to shut the door and kindled the flames in the fireplace. With a small sigh, the raven haired man dusted his palms and turned to regard the petite sleeping figure.

The orange light of the fire danced on her pallid skin, giving it immediate radiating glow and making her appear almost unreal. The translucent material of her gown added a mystical touch to her appearance, like she was a character extracted from a fairytale. He thought he had heard her faintly whimper, but he wasn't all too certain.

Advancing towards her, he repositioned her legs to what he thought would be comfortable position for her and noticed the tautness of her muscles, toned and perfectly carved beneath her skin. What baffled him was they were absolutely flawless - without scars or any imperfection. His eyes traveled up her thighs and came to rest on the rosette curls shielding her intimate area from sight. Heat pooled at his cheeks and he immediately diverted his sight to her belly. Her waistline was dainty, impeccably curved and taut just like her legs.

Sasuke knew what was coming next, but did nothing to stop himself or his masculine urges. His vision trailed up her ribs, hesitating just a moment, and continued through the valley between her bosoms, then assimilating their roundness under the ridiculous bra made of... clamshell-cups. His eyebrows twitched in disbelief. He has either got here a lunatic or a psychopath - no difference there. Which sane woman would wear a bra and not panties; and still don a dress with visibility as clear as glass?

The thought of him undressing and redressing her was throwing his mind into a state of disarray, yet he was always one who masked his intentions so perfectly no one would ever know. Suppressing these licentious ideas into the tiniest corner of his brain, he rose to his full height and chose to busy himself with getting her some proper, _decent_ clothes to change into.

Sauntering into his walk-in wardrobe, he surveyed the numerous amounts of clothing – formal, informal, but nevertheless, branded, yet he realised now that he was lacking what he sought. He combed through the multitudes of Armani, Hugo Boss, Gucci, all made to fit the frame of the thirteen year old child he was when he left this place. As he progressed deeper, the sizes grew larger and the style more apparently straight-cut to accommodate the physique and style of his much taller older brother. He gritted his teeth, wondering to himself why he hadn't yet used them as kindle for the fireplace.

Reaching for the drawer where he recalled storing his regular home clothes, he picked out a plain white T-shirt that bore the insignia of his lineage over the heart. 'Uchiha' - the fan, black at its base and hilt; crimson red at the top where the inverted crescent sat. He unravelled the shirt and estimated if her tiny frame would drown in it, but it appeared to be about suitable. Rummaging through the other drawer that belonged to his late mother, he picked out the shortest black skirt that he found 'trendy' for a girl of her age yet appropriate enough to be worn. Sasuke shuffled back out and stood aimlessly before her, pondering how he was going to change her.

The rosette murmured in her rest, words that were barely coherent to his ears, piecing together a vague yet complete phrase of '_I'm sorry, forgive me_.' Her soft, feminine voice was euphonious like he had never heard from any woman in his day, despite the doleful implications of those words. As he settled closer to her, he caught sight of that single teardrop trickling in staccatos down from her eye to finally create a tiny sodden patch of darkened brown in the fabric of his couch. It made him curious about what she could be dreaming of, though of course, he wouldn't care much for it.

He exhaled and focused his attention to his - sort of - predicament, as he clutched firmly the clothes in his hand. Forcefully swallowing the lump in his throat, he hitched his breath and slid her feet into the circle of the skirt, careful not to wake her. He gulped as he guided the material up her calves, pass her knees, to her thighs and when she emitted a sigh, he abruptly tore his hands away, chest heaving as his lungs struggled to catch the breath he wasn't even aware he was withholding.

Analysing the situation he had now placed himself in – the hem of the skirt tightly gripped her thighs in the most uncompromising position and for him to properly rearrange it, he would have to dig his fingers between the material and her… alluring flesh, so he could continue. His heart was pounding thunder in his ears and he couldn't comprehend why he should be nervous. With shaking fingers, he hooked his fingertips round the band to stretch it and halted within ambsace of her delicate pink curls. He staved hard to focus his mind on other imaginaries – _an excited dog running on the beach with the tune strummed on the ukulele floating in the atmosphere_ – all which came crashing down when she stirred and he felt the brush of her curls on his skin. Sasuke chocked. He couldn't do this, but he had to.

Shutting his eyes, he hurriedly slipped it onto her and backed away, sarcastically _thanking_ whatsoever _gracious_ - he scowled - deity that thought this amusing. Shifting his attention to the one other piece of clothing that laid inanimate on the carpet, he grimaced.

He was lucky that the dress was a loosely fitted one. Lifting her up gently, he propped the unconscious girl against the back of the couch and gathered at chiffon in his fists. Cautiously, he laboured, rising from her curved hips up her abdomen and past her feminine mounds, to free her from its constraints and progressed on to clothe her in his T-shirt that fitted her perfectly before gently laying her back down to rest. Huffing a sigh of relief, he slumped his weight against the base of the couch and rested. Day wasn't far away now.

* * *

><p>Consciousness returned to the mermaid as her eyes began to focus on the redness beneath her eyelids. She could not recall the lights of her chambers to have ever been this bright, so much that it blinded her even in her sleep. There were so many great ways to be roused and this was not one of them. Emitting a tiny grunt in displeasure, she found her throat to be so parched it was painful to swallow. As sensation crept into her limbs, she felt incomprehensibly weighted down as though the waters had grown ten-times denser overnight.<p>

Her blanket was intact and covering her like she would habitually cozy herself in it, yet its scent was… different. It had the pungent smell of what you and I would call 'fabric softener'. Well, of course, she wouldn't have known that. Stretching her hand under the duvet, she grazed her fingertips on the surface of her tail or what should have been her tail and found its texture to be smooth – a different kind of smooth compared to the scales on a mermaid's tail. She added pressure to her fingertips and analysed the way the muscles moulded under her skin. It wasn't different at all! It was _utterly wrong_! Her mind was a state of absolute disarray.

_'Your fin. Move your fin!'_ And it moved, but it didn't move as a whole like she had expected. It moved in _pieces_! Throwing her eyelids open, she sat up like a compressed spring in release and screamed. Screamed like she never had in her life. Even her own voice sounded weird to her. "Where in the deep-sea abyss am I?"

"Uruse..." Came a distinguishable masculine voice. One that was unfamiliar and abnormally devoid of expression or articulation that effectively sent chills up her spine. Searching the extravagant room for the source, she finally spotted him - a man, or boy rather, with raven hair that spiked at the back and his acute features were enhanced by the forelocks that fell from either side of his face – seated at what she could tell was an antique desk with his arms folded to his chest. He lowered the writing instrument he held in his right hand and observed her the way she was observing him, except he bore no hint of emotion on his features.

Different possibilities toiled in her mind, as she strove to make sense of the situation. Her lips parted slightly as she formed the almost silent words, "Who… are you?"

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><p><strong>AN:** Thank you for reading. :D Reviews always spur the author on to write. Teehee.

Remember to check out that ItaOC oneshot! It won't fail you, I promise.


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